Which clutch setup would you recomend?

My stock setup fianally gave out. I already have a '06 WRX flywheel. Now I need a good streetable clutch setup that can hold 340whp. I don't launch hard and I'm done with the drag strip. I just looking for a set up the will handle the power and not be a pain to drive and I'm looking for input. I have already searched the thread but, I would like to hear from people that have had their setups for awhile and what they would like and don't like about there setup. So for the owners of the ACT, SPEC, clutchmasters, Bully, and etc... Let me hear about your setup. Thanks Bryan

Clutches are rated at fly torque not WHP. I have a Spec 2+ clutch(although LGT fitment w/DMFW), pedal feel is lighter than stock. Is rated at ~530tq(at the fly) and is great in traffic. It chattered really bad during break in but now its fine. I take my gram to the store everyweek and its still comfortable. Clutch grabs strong and quickly but is not impossible to be smooth(consider the fact that I take my gram to the store).

Im running 370wtq, 330whp on the act heavy duty street disk, and tsk3 kit, and 06 wrx fly. Couldnt be happier. Feels a tad stiffer than stock, but grabs like an SOB when pushed!

Someone here (J255C?) killed an ACT HD setup with a 20G and meth. If you're running straight pump gas you might be fine, but I think you're probably close to the limit of that clutch. The next step up in the ACT range is their sprung 6-puck hub.

 

However, Clutchmasters and Bullyclutch both make clutches with Kevlar discs. Far as I can tell, these are the strongest clutches you can get without going to pucks (short lifespan) or the Exedy Twin ($$$, slightly rattle in neutral with the clutch depressed). When I was shopping for a clutch, it basically came down to a coin toss between the Clutchmasters FX300 and the Bullyclutch Stage 2 / Stage 4 hybrid that LittleBlueGT is using. I went with the Bullyclutch setup and wrote about it here:

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130561

 

I'm guessing that the CM FX300 drives similarly, but we won't know until someone buys one. However there are a couple of people at NASIOC using them in Imprezas and they all seem happy.

 

One caveat with Kevlar clutches though - if they overheat and burn, they need to be replaced. Organic clutches can apparently recover from a burn, but Kevlar can't.

Someone here (J255C?) killed an ACT HD setup with a 20G and meth. If you're running straight pump gas you might be fine, but I think you're probably close to the limit of that clutch. The next step up in the ACT range is their sprung 6-puck hub.

 

However, Clutchmasters and Bullyclutch both make clutches with Kevlar discs. Far as I can tell, these are the strongest clutches you can get without going to pucks (short lifespan) or the Exedy Twin ($$$, slightly rattle in neutral with the clutch depressed). When I was shopping for a clutch, it basically came down to a coin toss between the Clutchmasters FX300 and the Bullyclutch Stage 2 / Stage 4 hybrid that LittleBlueGT is using. I went with the Bullyclutch setup and wrote about it here:

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130561

 

I'm guessing that the CM FX300 drives similarly, but we won't know until someone buys one. However there are a couple of people at NASIOC using them in Imprezas and they all seem happy.

How easy is it to overheat the Kevlar clutch?

 

One caveat with Kevlar clutches though - if they overheat and burn, they need to be replaced. Organic clutches can apparently recover from a burn, but Kevlar can't.

Thanks for the info. I will check out the CM FX300. I make about 340whp on pump but, I make over 370whp on e85.

I have had the ACT 6 Puck and the SPEC Stage 5+ in my car. They both engage hard. I would think an ACT HD setup would work fine if you dont launch hard and dont plan on making more power.

I don't think my setup is going to hold up to your e85 torque B. I have the Exedy Stage1 clutch (rated 360tq) and a LWFW (no chatter).

 

I think I got the clutch and FW for under $600. I am happy to let you drive it if you want to see how it feels but I think you will trash it on e85 at the track. MSprank is not a fan of the heavy pedal feel either.

How easy is it to overheat the Kevlar clutch?

 

I hope I don't find out. I suspect that there's four ways to do it:

 

1) Ride the clutch in normal driving. Very easy to avoid.

 

2) Exceed the static torque capacity of the clutch. Give it so much torque that it stops holding and starts slipping. My stock clutch started to slip in 3rd-gear pulls, long after I completely took my foot off it, right when the engine hit peak torque. This has yet to happen with my current setup, and I'm pretty sure that it never will.

 

3) Slip the clutch for too long during a launch. This is the scenario I'm most concerned about.

 

4) Exceed the dynamic torque capacity of the clutch. Give it so much torque during a launch that it never actually grabs. I did this once to the stock clutch, when I was just stage-2, at a drag strip. My foot came completely off the pedal, and the car just accelerated gradually, bouncing off the rev limiter. I could still smell clutch the next morning.

 

Generally speaking, torque is what determines a clutch's capacity, but for the fourth scenario I think RPM also matters (it's probably harder for the clutch to grab 400 ft/lb at 6000 RPM than 400 ft/lb at 3000 RPM), so I think power may actually be a significant factor.

 

Or maybe static and dynamic capacity are actually the same, and #4 is just an extreme case of #3, after the clutch heats up so much that its holding capacity is diminished. I'm just speculating here.

I am going on year 4 with my BullyClutch stage4 PP and Kevlar disc. I absolutely love it!

I am going on year 4 with my BullyClutch stage4 PP and Kevlar disc. I absolutely love it!

 

Is yours about the same as the Clutchmaster fx300? I may be the first to try them. The best price I have seen so far is $631 for the kit.

Is yours about the same as the Clutchmaster fx300? I may be the first to try them. The best price I have seen so far is $631 for the kit.

 

I don't really know. Mine is the same set-up as NSFW.

 

The disc may be the same, but I really think the PP that BUlly sells is second to none. I would highly recommend getting their stage4 PP, costs a bit more, but having more clamping power, w/o any increase in pedal pressure is nice on the leg, and the clutch parts. (master/slave cylinder, bearing)

Another vote for the Bully stage 4 PP. It's the bomb, and slightly less pedal effort than stock.

 

I accidentally ended up with a 6-puck ceramic disc instead of the kevlar disc, and after speaking with Bully about it, I'm not concerned about longevity at all. The really nice part is that the entire time between now and when (if ever) it slips, it'll be getting better (easier to drive, and still more than enough holding power). Also, the pucks can be replaced if it ever comes to that.

I have 100 000km on my Bully stage 3 disk (stage 2 pressure plate), drives like it's out of the box, but squeeks on take offs. I bought the thing for $100 with 40 000km on it, and I put the other 60 000km.

I installed a SPEC 2+ with a new dual-mass fly. After 21k miles on a stage II setup, it is starting to slip... I am highly disappointed. I have driven a manual my whole life and have never had the problems I have had with the LegGT setup.

 

I loved the SPEC clutch feel during driving, but I doubt I will be buying another...

In...which setup did you decide on? The CM FX300?

Yes, the CM FX300 will be hear this week. I will install it this weekend and I will report to all. I read the CM is rated at 495 tq and was $575 shipped.

Cool...interested to see the results.

Yes, the CM FX300 will be hear this week. I will install it this weekend and I will report to all. I read the CM is rated at 495 tq and was $575 shipped.

 

let me know how that works for you. i am looking into the same setup. where did you get that price from? thats a good price.

I installed a SPEC 2+ with a new dual-mass fly. After 21k miles on a stage II setup, it is starting to slip... I am highly disappointed. I have driven a manual my whole life and have never had the problems I have had with the LegGT setup.

 

I loved the SPEC clutch feel during driving, but I doubt I will be buying another...

It's probably the DMFW causing the problem. As Bully explained to me, they are thin, a use once and replace wear item like brake rotors. Being thin they can warp when heated and this makes it difficult to engage the entire clutch disc surface, hence slippage under the heavy load of stage 2 power.

let me know how that works for you. i am looking into the same setup. where did you get that price from? thats a good price.

I got it from a Nasioc vendor. Maperformance. They also have the ACT setup for about the same price.

Is it installed? How's it working?

 

With Bully's kevlar clutch, I noticed that over the first couple/three weeks the engagement point got steadily higher. Is the CM clutch doing the same thing?

I just install the ClutchMaster FX300 setup with a stock '06 WRX flywheel. I finally took it for a drive yesterday. The pedal is about the same as stock if not lighter. It's easy to engage and drive. It starts engage a few inches off the floor. The only thing I got this clunck sound sometime when the clutch engages. Only when I'm driving not when I'm parked. What could it be? Is that the chatter people talk about? It almost sounds like something is loose. I will check everything again today.